Brownies from Joy



I love these brownies. I don't always love brownies. I don't like it when brownies are like cake because then they are cake... not brownies (makes sense, right?). I don't like it when brownies are too gooey because then they are like pudding... not brownies. These brownies are just right... AND easy! What could be better. I've made them a few times and have never yet been disappointed by them.

They come to me from Joy the baker. Her website is great. If you haven't already checked it out, go over and give it a look. It is definitely not for those of you looking for some low-fat cooking alternatives but just good honest baking and lovely-to-read banter. She sounds like a fun girl to hang with! AND she's a baker!!!

But the real star of this post is brownies, let's not forget. These ones have cocoa powder in them which I always thought tended to dry things out but these brownies come out nice and chewy. I also added some chocolate chips and walnuts - just like the recipe said. These little gems last well throughout the week (well, let's say for four days or so) and I use them as my snack when I'm at work (no chemi-hard-to-pronounce-ingredients snacks!!!)


Old School Fudge Brownies
(from Joy the Baker)

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp strong coffee
2 lg eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 lg handful) walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used about 1/2 a cup though)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease a 10 inch round or 9x13 baking pan.

In a heat proof bowl over lightly simmer water melt the butter and cocoa powder. Add the coffee and stir the melted ingredients together. Set aside.
In another bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a third bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add the flour and stir to combine. Throw in the walnuts and the chocolate chips and combine.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 18 - 25 minutes. (I always find that I'm taking closer to 30 minutes, probably my oven)

pizzette's aka little lovies


I'm finally doing it. This pizza dough thing has been on my mind for a while. After my recent success with yeast (ie. the Hot Cross Buns which didn't suck) I feel some positive momentum, buoyed by it, dizzy with it... even a little... maybe...

Well, as if you all haven't seen a pizza post from a foodie blog before *Yawn* I know, I can be a hater too! Nevertheless, I'm gonna try. Definitely, the yeast success is egging me on but also I recently discovered fresh mozzarella at a couple of my local supermarkets. It's probably been there for a really long time but for some reason (probably a grocery trip sans kids - meaning a grocery trip in which I can meander down aisles, pick things up and look them over, nobody actually distracting my brain with some kind of conversation/question - capiche?) I stumbled upon it recently and thought that it merited some special use at some point.


Lastly, I'm on the hunt for some interesting vegetarian recipes. I've just picked up a new cookbook (more to come on that later! - trust me) and there were some simple, rustic and completely divine looking pizzette's in the book. One thing that I hate about making pizza is stretching out that *&%$ crust. It always springs back, it gets holes in it. I've gotten so frustrated stretching pizza dough out over a whole big pan that I've resorted to using cans of beans to hold all the sides down. Making little pizzettes however, fixes a lot of that fuss and frustration. As the book says (the cookbook that is), keep these little lovies simple. I roasted some veggies (mushroom, pepper strips and zucchini) and put them on a couple of little lovies and on the kids own were pepperoni. Simple. Topped with fresh mozzarella (wow - what a difference people!!!!) and maybe you could top with a little parmesan if you were so inclined. After the oven and before going into my mouth, my pizzette got sprinkled with some hot pepper flakes too!


Pizza dough (from 101 Cookbooks)
makes 2 14 inch pizza (or 5 little lovies)


1 pkg (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (I used traditional)
1 cup warm water
1 tsp honey
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Place warm water (about 100 degrees F), honey and yeast together in a bowl. Mix together lightly and set aside for about 10 min. or until the yeast gets foamy.

Put flour and salt into a bowl.
Mix with the water/yeast until it's all incorporated.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 min. (you could use your stand mixer here too - taking significantly less time I would imagine. However, the reality is I only kneaded for
about 5 min and the results were quite fine). Just make sure that the dough is both silky and stretchy.
Rest the dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Set it in a warm dry place for about 1 hr (until it doubles approximately).

Punch the dough down.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

On pizza baker, pizza stone or (in my case) cookie sheets sprinkle cornmeal (this prevents the pizza from sticking and makes a nice
little additional crunch on the crust). I spread my little pizza's into shape on a baking mat which seemed easier somehow - whatever way you do it, grab about a fistful of dough and shape to your desired thickness.

I topped mine with some simple passata (adding some salt, sugar), roasted veggies, fresh mozzarella. I think a white version would be lovely with something green and maybe smoked salmon. The possibilities are endless really but simple is key.


Everyone loved the pizzette's. Just what we needed today.....

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St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.

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  • Naparima Girls High School Cookbook
  • The Silver Palate Cookbook
  • More-with-Less Cookbook
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Wanda Thorne
St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
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